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MInInG connect

Paul House, Chief Executive, IMDEX Ltd

Hiking through the Himalayas and the Anapurna Circuit, you have to love what you do,” House says. It is the love
cycling through Cambodia and Europe, African safaris of the outdoors that invigorates House and equips him
or skiing in Kashmir – new IMDEX chief executive Paul to handle the challenges that present in the fast-paced
House is a hard man to pin down. “Everyone can be world of mining technology.
busy, but the key is to find mental space in whatever
form that comes; you need that mental space so you
can simply separate. Often the CTU at the back of your
brain continues working to solve problems and it only
does so because you give it the freedom to run by having
time out and reengaging with other things in your life,

H ouse transitioned into the role of IMDEX chief executive on PD: Bernie Ridgeway was IMDEX managing director for 20
July 1 after long-time managing director Bernie Ridgeway
years, what lasting message did he leave you with?
announced his retirement in November 2019. And, while
PH: We are very aligned on three things: Protecting our core
the ink was still wet on IMDEX’s latest deal – the July 7
business; ensuring we have a strong focus on technical leadership
acquisition of AusSpec International to expand its real
time rock knowledge offering – House took time to chat in our business; and being decisive.
with Paydirt. PD: How has IMDEX reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic?
PH: The alignment around the group couldn’t be
PD: Why did you choose a technology-related career? stronger. The ability for us to reevaluate our priorities and
PH: The driver for me was always: Are you a net giver or a determine what our client base needs right now. We orientated
net taker in what you do in society or your work life? If you can around immediate industry needs; they had an absolute desire
make your work life a happy and fun place, you’ll never really work to keep working but had constraints on how they could do that.
a day in your life. It is a cliché but it is true. For me, it wouldn’t We rose to meet that challenge. Our online digital academy which
in the spotlight
matter what I did and for the last 30 years I’ve always found a way delivers training on our new technologies and our online global
or an area where I can make a difference. I have had 30 years in customer care programme have been part of our portfolio but
mining and tech, all largely change driven, in the agri-tech, biotech COVID-19 has essentially moved forward our vision and goals for
and mining tech sectors. those platforms by two years.
PD: A career spanning 30 years across different places in PD: How do you make good of a bad day?
the world, what’s the secret behind adapting to different
cultures? PH: You have to want it. The reason for your bad day is
because you have been pushing a boundary somewhere
PH: It is probably my favourite thing in the world, I think trying to break something, change something for the
the difference between what is said and heard or the betterment of the industry that you’re emotionally and
difference between what is said and meant in different personally vested in. If you can accept that bad day was
cultural environments around the world is a really because you’re really pushing the edge for the right reason,
beautiful thing. I liken it to the difference between learning that first and foremost is the comfort. You decide and commit
how to play chess and how to play checkers; it is infinitely to what you are going to do next and not wallow.
more complex and nuanced. I spent my entire 30 years
immersed in different cultures living and working there, not PD: What will the mining industry look like in 10 years?
just visiting a country. For me, it is an absolute delight that on PH: I think the mining industry is genuinely at a tipping
any given subject I can put one sentence to a room and know point in terms of adopting technology. A vast majority
it will be heard differently in Zambia to West India compared to of mining processes are unchanged today from the last
South India compared to Southern US, compared to California, 100 years. Yes, there has been incremental innovations
compared to Brazil; that is a glorious thing to know and I love and so on however the inefficiency inside the industry is
that more than anything else. well understood. The real tipping point that is coming in the
industry now is spatial and orebody factors; what is inside
PD: What makes a good leader? the orebody. Currently, billion-dollar investment decisions
PH: Leadership is one of those things that you can invest are made on 1% of 1% orebody knowledge. Tier 1 mining
in but there are those innate qualities that naturally shine companies are genuinely embedding innovation beyond
in all leadership talent. The ability to build the best teams simple desire; they are embedding it as a culture. When you
and the ability to empower them, act and run fast, and have a critical mass of those Tier 1 resource companies
then the ability to bring them together running to the same doing that the rest will follow.
finish line. There has to be trust in that environment as we
are encouraging people to take risks every day. Having the PD: What motivates the IMDEX team?
confidence to be able to take a risk, fail, reflect and go again; PH: Our people absolutely want to do new things and
that is really where leadership skills get tested and how you they want the customer to have a better experience
respond when people make a mistake. tomorrow than they did today. Those two things I think are
very binding in the way a team forms and decides how it is
going to have fun and win for the betterment of employees,
business, shareholders and customers collectively.

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